Telephone escritoire



April 20, 1937. s K, wo FF v TELEPHONE ESCRITOIRE Filed Aug. 22 1936 L. II I INVENTOR 7% I 5-; ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 20, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE TELEPHONE ESCRITOIRE Saul K. Wolfi, Long Beach, N. Y.

Application August 22, 1936, Serial No. 97,399

10 Claims.

The invention relates to a telephone escritoire, and more particularly to a cabinet which may be placed upon and is movable in relation to, the top of a desk or table.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a cabinet for the reception of a telephone instrument which, when the instrument is not in use, will completely inclose same so as to prevent the accumulation of dust and dirt upon and about the telephone instrument, but which may be readily opened to permit the removal of the receiver from the telephone instrument stand and, when the cabinet is so opened, provide a conveniently located desk slab to facilitate the making of notes in relation to a telephonic conversation and also to expose an index card containing the names and telephone numbers of persons frequently called upon the telephone.

The construction of the cabinet is also such as to afford a wide base for the telephone instrument as a whole, to which the stand of the instrument is connected sufficiently firmly to minimize likelihood of the toppling or shifting of the instrument within the cabinet when dialing numbers or when removing and replacing the telephone receiver upon its stand.

The escritoire of the invention combines in a simple structure, a telephone number register, a drop leaf writing slab and a housing for the telephone instrument composed in part of the register support and the drop leaf writing slab. These parts are so constructed and connected that when access to the telephone instrument is desired, it is merely necessary to lower the writing slab, the movement of this slab, raising the cover of the housing by mechanisms connecting the slab and the cover, which mechanisms are so constructed as to not only cause movement of the slab to impart movement to the cover, but to prevent accidental falling of the cover while the instrument is in use, or while memoranda are being made upon paper carried by or secured upon the writing slab.

The manner of connecting the cover and the slab is also such as to support the slab well away from the top of a table or desk so as to avoid likelihood of marring the finely finished surface of said top, and also to permit convenient access to the slab when it is desired to close the cabinet.

The escritoire is also so constructed as to permit the positioning of a telephone instrument within, or its removal from, the cabinet without interfering in any way with the telephone lines or the use or operation of the telephone instrument.

In the manufacture of an escritoire embodying the invention, it may be given an exterior finish making it an attractive piece of furniture, and the desk slab and the cover may be equipped with retaining devices for a writing pad and pencil as to the former, and a removable directory index as to the latter, tofacilitate the convenient storage and use of these adjuncts.

The invention consists primarily in a telephone escritoire embodying therein a base, means carried thereby whereby a telephone instrument may be firmly secured thereto, side walls, a back bar extending from side wall to side wall adjacent the top thereof, whereby an opening is provided at the back of the escritoire for the insertion and removal of a telephone instrument and the passage 7 of the wires of the instrument, a cover hingedly connected with said bar, a front bar extending from side wall to side wall contiguous to said base, a drop leaf slab hinged to said front bar, a lever and link connection between said cover and said slab and connected with a side wall, and means carried by said side wall limiting the action of said lever and link mechanism; and in such other novel features of construction and combination of parts as are hereinafter set forth and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an escritoire embodying the invention in the closed position;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. l, indicating in dotted lines the position of parts when in the open position; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the escritoire shown in Fig. 1 in the open position with one of the side walls partly broken away.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing, the escritoire embodies a base It having side walls I l and I2 extending upwardly therefrom to a height sufficient to accommodate the type of telephone instrument which is to be housed therein. The base If! is provided with a plurality of devices I3, shown as spring clips attached to the base in the drawing, by means of which the stand of a telephone instrument may be firmly secured in relation to the base. In this mannor a wide base is provided to prevent toppling of the telephone instrument, and this instrument is secured sufiiciently firmly to this extended base to avoid shifting thereof when dialing a number thereon.

Extending from side wall to side wall adjacent the tops thereof, is a back bar US of a width to leave ample space below same for the insertion of a telephone instrument in, or its removal from, the cabinet, the wires extending from this instrument through this space so as to avoid the necessity for interfering with these wires in any way so far as the telephone service is concerned.

Preferably, I hinge to the bottom of the bar M, a drop back member l5 having an opening i6 therethrough for the passage of the wires to the telephone instrument, so as to prevent to as great an extent as possible, dust and dirt entering the cabinet through the back thereof. The drop bacl I5 is hinged to the back bar l4 at H.

A cover i8 is hinged to the back bar 4 at 89, this cover preferably being provided with a flange ofisetting the cover in relation to the'bacl:

' bar [4 which is positioned below the top of the side walls H and I2. with suitable clips 2| for the reception of an index card 22 removably mounted therein.

At the bottom of the front of the cabinet is a front bar or flange 23 extending upwardly of the base, and hinged to this front bar is a drop leaf 24 forming a writing slab or shelf. The hinge connection between the bar 23 and the slab 24 is shown at 25. Preferably, this slab is provided with an open pad receiving pocket 26 adjacent the top of the slab when the escritoire is in the closed position, and rearwardly of this member is a clip 21 for the reception of a lead pencil or other writing implement. A writing pad in the pocket 26 is shown at 28.

The cover I8 and the drop leaf slab 24 are connected by a link and lever mechanism in a manner to cause the downward or upward movement of the drop slab to impart upward or down ward movementto the cover l8. This link and leve'r mechanism is connected at its opposite ends with said'cover and said slab, and intermediate its ends to a side wall. In addition to its function of causing the opening of the cover simultaneously with the lowering of the slab, this mechanism is so looked after its actuation to open the cabinet as to prevent the accidental falling of the cover l8 and also to firmly support the slab 24 in a horizontal plane so as to prevent the falling of said slab upon the top of a desk or table and the possible *marring of the surface of this top.

Preferably, a link and lever mechanism is provided adjacent each side wall H and [2 so as to eifectively support the slab. This link and lever mechanism comprises a rocking lever 29 pivoted centrally thereof at 30 to a fitting 31 secured to the adjacent side wall H or 2. Pivotally connected with one end of the lever 29 and with a lug 32 secured to thecover I8, is a link 33, and pivotally connected to the other arm of the lever and to 2. lug 34 upon the slab 24 is a link 35.

Carried by the side wall is a stop bracket 36 engaging one arm of the lever 29 and the adjacent portion of the link 33. This bracket 36 ensures an alinement of the link 33, the two arms of the lever 29 and the link 35' when the escritoire is opened, so that stresses upon the slab or shelf will be absorbed by the pivot 36 of the lever, and turning of the lever is prevented as a result of such pressures.

So long as the stop bracket 36 acts to prevent oscillation of the lever and to secure this alinement, its exact location within the escritoire is immaterial.

In the accompanying drawing, the device is shown as being made entirely of metal, the va- The cover I8 is provided rious attachments 3l--32-34 of the link and lever mechanism being welded to the material of the side walls, of the cover and of the drop leaf slab. The back bar l4 and the front bar 23 are also welded in relation to the side walls and the base.

The edges of the side walls are folded to reinforce same, and the ends of the bars l4 and 23 are flanged to impart the desired rigidity thereto and afford suitable areas for welding purposes.

The clips 2! are made of channelled material welded to the cover E8, the pad receiver 26 being similarly made and connected with the slab 24. The clip 27 is also a spring metal clip welded to said'slab 24.

A stop 37 welded to the cover 18 engages and holds the index card.

. The base ID and side walls H and I2 may be made of one piece of sheet metal bent to form,

and the telephone retaining clips l3 may be 3 welded to the base, if desired, so as to have a continuous, smooth undersurface for said base. Other well known expedients may be used to avoid marring of a desk or table top by said base.

The above details are applicable only when the device is made of sheet metal throughout. Other materials, however, may be used, such as hard woods or plastics, which other materials may be effectively used in matching the escritoire to the other article of furniture in connection with which it is to be used.

The device may be given any desired exterior decoration. As shown in the drawing, the exposed face of the drop slab is provided with a metal sheet so formed and decorated as to simulate a set of books. When so formed, the top edge of the backs of the books forms a convenient hand-hold to facilitate the opening of the escritoire.

In use, the operation of a telephone escritoire embodying the invention is substantially as follows:-

A telephone instrument, either of the French phone or hand set or the upright stand type is inserted through the opening below the back bar M, the back drop l5 being raised to permit the passage of the telephone instrument through the back of the device. This can be done without disconnecting any of the wires of the instrument or interfering with its operative condition in any way. The lead-in wires to the instrument may then be adjusted so as to pass through the opening l6, and the back drop allowed to fall into the closed position. This may be done while the escritoire is closed. If the device is to be used for the columnar type of telephone instrument, its height must be greater than if its use is in connection with so-oalled "French phones or hand sets.

It will be observed that after a telephone has thus been placed within the escritoire, it is completely inclosed, except as to the opening l5, so that dust cannot settle upon the instrument.

In placing the telephone instrument within the escritoire, the base of the instrument is fitted to the clips l3 with the dial positioned toward the drop leaf slab 24. When the telephone instrument has been thus placed in position, it is attached to, and supported from, an extended angular base which will avoid any toppling of the instrument and prevent movement of the instrument when using the dial. This permits the actuation of the dial with one hand without possibility of misdialing.

The escritoire, when the telephone is not in use,

is closed so as to prevent other articles upon a table or desk accumulating about the telephone instrument in a way to interfere with its use.

When it is desired to use the instrument, the drop leaf slab 2 is merely lowered. This movement of said slab, by reason of the relative lengths of the lever 29 and the links 33 and 35, imparts rotary movement of the lever to an extent to bring said lever and said links into longitudinal alinement substantially simultaneously with the engagement of one arm of the lever and the adjacent portion of the link connected with that arm into engagement with the stop bracket 36.

During the turning of said lever, a thrust is imparted through the link 33 to the cover l8, raising said cover in the manner shown in the drawing and locking it in the raised position as a result of the engagement of the lever and link with the stop bracket. Substantially simultaneously, the drop leaf slab 24 comes to rest in a horizontal position with the front and the top of the escritoire fully open, so as to permit the convenient removal of the hand set or the receiver from within the escritoire. By reason of the stability of the telephone instrument, both hands may be freely used in manipulating the telephone.

By mounting a telephone in an escritoire embodying the invention, cleanliness of the instrument at all times is ensured and the quality of the service afforded by the telephone is improved.

When the cover is raised in the manner described, the index sheet 22 is brought directly within the line of vision of the user, and the pad 28 is convenient to the hand. The construction and operation of the lever and link mechanism permits the pad 28 to be written upon without possibility of forcing the slab into engagement with the top of a desk or table or closing the cover it, because the stresses upon this slab are taken up by the pivot or pivots 3E] and the weight of a telephone instrument, and the extended area of the base l3, avoids toppling of the escritoire as a whole.

The clip 27 merely ensures accessibility of a encil for making memoranda.

By making the parts of the link and lever mechanism of thin metal stock and locating them upon and close to the sides I l and i2 in the manner shown, any obstruction within the escritoire which would interfere with the use of the telephone instrument is avoided.

By the use of the front bar or flange 23, the slab 24% is positioned well above the plane of the base Ii Following the use of the telephone and after the receiver has been replaced upon the hooks, it is merely necessary to close the escritoire, to raise the drop leaf slab 2d. The upward and inward arcuate movement of the bracket 36 imparts, through the link 35, a reverse rotary movement to the lever 29, thus disengaging one arm thereof from the stop bracket 36 and, through the link 33, drawing the cover into the closed position. The position of the link and lever mechanism, when the escritoire is open, is shown in Fig. 3. The position of this mechanism, when the escritoire is closed, is shown in Fig. 2. The pendant flange 26 of the cover and the locating of the hinge connection between said flange and the back bar it permits a horizontal component of movement of the brackets 36 necessary to this movement.

It is not my intention to limit the invention to the materials used in making the device, nor to the exact proportions and arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawing, it being obvious that such may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent, is:--

l. A telephone escritoire embodying therein a base, means carried thereby whereby a telephone instrument may be firmly secured thereto, side walls, a back bar extending from side wall to side wall adjacent the top thereof, whereby an opening is provided at the back of the escritoire for the insertion and removal of a telephone instrument and the passage of the wires of the instrument, cover hingedly connected with said bar, a front bar extending from side wall to side wall contiguous to said base, a drop leaf slab hinged to said front bar, a lever and link conneotion between said cover and said slab and connected with a side wall, and means carried by said side wall limiting the action of said lever and link mechanism.

2. A telephone escritoire embodying therein a base, means carried thereby whereby a telephone instrument may be firmly secured thereto, side Walls, a back bar extending from side wall to side wall adjacent but below the top thereof whereby an opening is provided at the back of the escritoire for the insertion and removal of a tele phone instrument and the passage of the wires of the instrument, a cover having a flange oifsetting the cover in relation to the back bar when the cover is raised, said flange being hingedly connected with said bar, a front bar extending from side wall to side wall contiguous to said base, a

drop leaf slab hinged to said front bar, a lever and link connection between said cover and said slab and connected with a side wall, and means carried by said side wall limiting the action of said lever and link mechanism.

3. A telephone escritoire embodying therein a base, means carried thereby whereby a telephone instrument may be firmly secured thereto, side walls, a back bar extending from side wall to side wall adjacent the top thereof, whereby an opening is provided at the back of the escritoire for the insertion and removal of a telephone instrument and the passage of the wires of the instrument, a cover hingedly connected with said bar, a drop back member pivotally connected with the bottom ofsaid back bar, a front bar extending from side wall to side wall contiguous to said'base, a drop leaf slab hinged to said front bar, a lever and link connection between said cover and said slab and connected with a side wall, and means carried by said side wall limiting the action of said lever and link mechanism. 4. A telephone escritoire embodying therein a base, means carried thereby whereby a telephone instrument may be firmly secured thereto, side walls, a back bar extending from side wall to side wall adjacent but below the top thereof, whereby an opening is provided at the back of the escritoire for the insertion and removal of a telephone instrument and the passage of the wires of the instrument, a cover having a flange offsetting the cover in relation to the back bar when the cover is raised, said flange being hingedly connected with said bar, a drop back member pivotally connected with the bottom of said back bar, a front bar extending from side wall to side wall contiguous to said base, a drop leaf slab hinged to said front bar, a lever and link connection between said cover and said slab and connected with a side wall, and means carried by said side wall limiting the action of said lever and link mechanism.

5. A telephone escritoire embodying therein a base, a plurality of spring clips carried by said base and adapted to grasp the base of the telephon instrument to firmly but removably secur it to said base, side walls, a back bar extending from side wall to side wall adjacent the top thereof, whereby an opening is provided at the back of the escritoire for the insertion and removal of a telephone instrument and the passage of the wires of the instrument, a cover hingedly connected with said bar, a front bar extending from side wall to side wall contiguous to said base, a drop leaf slab hinged to said front bar, a lever and link connection between said cover said slab and connected with a side wall, and means carried by said side wall limiting the action of said lever and link mechanism.

6. A telephone escritoire embodying therein a base, means carried thereby whereby a telephone instrument may be firmly secured thereto, side walls, a back bar extending from side wall to side wall adjacent the top thereof, whereby an opening is provided at the back of the escritoire for the insertion and removal of a telephone instrument and the passage of the wires of the instrument, 2. cover hingedly connected with said bar, a front bar extending from side wall to side wall contiguous to said base, a drop leaf slab hinged to said front bar, a lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends upon a side wall, links con necting opposite ends of said lever with said cover and said slab respectively, and a stop bracket carried by said side wall and engageable by said lever when the cover is raised.

7. A telephone escritoire embodying therein a base, means carried thereby whereby a telephone instrument may be firmly secured thereto, side walls, a, back bar extending from side wall to side wall adjacent but below the top thereof, whereby an opening is provided at the back of the escritoire for the insertion and removal of a telephone instrument and the passage of the wires of the instrument, a cover having a flange 01fsetting the cover in relation to the back bar when the cover is raised, said flange being hingedly connected with said bar, a front bar extending from side wall to side wall contiguous to said base, a drop leaf slab hinged to said front bar, a lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends upon a side wall, links connecting opposite ends of said lever with said cover and said slab respectively, and a stop bracket carried by said side wall and engageable by said lever when the cover is raised.

8. A telephone escritoire embodying therein a base, means carried thereby whereby a telephone instrument may be firmly secured thereto, side walls, a back bar extending from side wall to side wall adjacent but belowthe top thereof, whereby an opening is provided at the back of the escritoire for the insertion and removal of a telephone instrument and the passage of the wires of the instrument, a cover having a flange offsetting the cover in relation to the back bar when the cover is raised, said flange being hingedly connected with said bar, a drop back member pivotally connected with the bottom of said back bar, a front bar extending from side wall to side wall contiguous to said base, a drop leaf slab hinged to said front bar, a lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends upon a side wall, links connecting opposite ends of said lever with said cover and said slab respectively, and a stop bracket carried by said side wall and engageable by said lever when the cover is raised.

9. A telephone escritoire embodying therein a base, means carried thereby whereby a telephone instrument may be firmly secured thereto, side Walls, a back bar extending from side wall to side wall adjacent the top thereof, whereby an opening is provided at the back of the escritoire for the insertion and removal of a telephone instrument and the passage of the wires of the instrument, a cover hingedly connected with said bar, means within said cover for supporting a telephone directory sheet, a front bar extending from side wall to side wall contiguous to said base, a drop leaf slab hinged to said front bar, a pad holder and a pencil clip carried upon the inner face of said slab, a lever and link connection between said cover and said slab and connected with a side wall, and means carried by said side wall limiting the action of said lever and link mechanism.

10. A telephone escritoire embodying therein a base, means carried thereby whereby a telephone instrument may be firmly secured thereto, side walls, a back bar extending from side wall to side wall adjacent but below the top thereof, whereby an opening is provided at the back of the escritoire for the insertion and removal of a telephone instrument and the passage of the wires of the instrument, a cover hingedly connected with said bar, a drop back member having an opening adjacent the bottom thereof for the passage of the'wires of the instrument pivotally connected with said back bar, a drop leaf slab, means whereby said slab is hingedly connected above but adjacent said base, a lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends upon a side Wall, links connecting opposite ends of said lever with said cover and said slab respectively, and a stop bracket carried by said wall and engageable by said link and lever mechanism when the cover is raised.

SAUL K. WOLFF. 

